The chicks can run within 24 hours of hatching, but it takes up to 60 days for their beaks to become strong enough to pry open their own bivalves. The young birds may remain with their parents for up to six months. American oystercatchers can live ten years or longer. Oystercatchers are very protective of their young.

Do oyster catchers mate for life?

Nearly all species of oystercatcher are monogamous, although there are reports of polygamy in the Eurasian oystercatcher. ... There is strong mate and site fidelity in the species that have been studied, with one record of a pair defending the same site for 20 years.

How long do American oystercatchers live?

The oldest American Oystercatcher was at least 23 years, 10 months old. It had been banded as an adult in Virginia in 1989 and was found in Florida in 2012.